teaching

Screenwriting Lab, Columbia University in the City of New York

A 14-week course to introduce undergraduate students to screenwriting.

• “Vishnu Sinha is hands-down one of the best teachers at Columbia. There is literally not a single question that any of us asked that he did not know the answer to. To be clear, he never implied that he knew everything--he's extremely humble--but he truly does seem to know everything. You'd think he'd been screenwriting for 30 years. Extremely approachable and accessible--he really encourages communication with and feedback from students, and did check-ins to get feedback from us on how he could improve the class for the second half--something I don't think any other professor has ever done, in my experience. He made the class SO FUN. He went above and beyond to make the class a really enjoyable experience. I have never had so much fun in a class, seriously. He also returned our assignments with super thorough notes SUPER quickly. I really appreciated getting that feedback back so soon because I would get really anxious after submitting my scripts. He is also excellent at providing a ton of constructive criticism while also leaving you feeling good about the work you've done. He sent us a final email after our last class with some of the most encouraging, inspiring words ever said by a teacher, and wow, I'm just so grateful I took this class. And I know for a 100% fact all the other students feel the same. Whatever you are paying Vishnu, quadruple it, because he is a rare gem here, and you will be sorry if you don't mine him sufficiently.”

• “I learned so so much from Vishnu's teachings. Every class is packed with incredibly helpful information and I grew as a writer in exponential ways. Lectures were very clear. Vishnu made active efforts to give all of us attention and ensured everyone understand the concepts. I'm very grateful for his guidance and support this semester!”

• “I thank Vishnu for his thoughtful guidance and support throughout the semester! It was truly an honor and I learned so much.”

• “Vishnu was a wonderful teacher, and I learned SO MUCH from him. He made class so fun and engaging even when it's 10 am on a Friday, and his endless knowledge of films and TV and the way he explained how certain things worked really inspired me. I feel so lucky to have gotten to cross paths with him, and even though it's unlikely I hope I will get to take whatever classes you end up teaching in the future. Thank you for resolving all my ‘question faces’ with such kindness and being present all throughout the semester. This class was such a gift to me.”

• “This has been the best film class I've taken during my time at Columbia. I really appreciate how much passion and patience Vishnu brought to this class every week. Even just his ability to bring the same level of energy and care to every class and every assignment speaks so much about his character and I feel so grateful to have had him as my teacher. I thank him so much for believing in me and my writing. I feel very confident in continuing to build my skills because of this experience and can already see how this class will shape my relationship to writing for my entire future as a writer.”

QueerFrames Screenwriting Lab (QFSL)

India’s first screenwriting lab for queer storytellers created by The Queer Muslim Project (TQMP) in partnership with Netflix India as part of their Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity initiative.

• “I thoroughly enjoyed the lab because of our incredible instructor, Vishnu! I can attest to the fact that none of us felt excluded (based on our varying experiences with screenwriting) because Vishnu patiently guided us through every step. I fully depended on feedback from Vishnu and my peers to improve my craft and that worked perfectly for me.”

• “I was excited to attend each week. And I was exposed to new and valuable readings and perspectives. I think Vishnu has great energy as a facilitator and I felt safe being myself in the classes.”

• “Receiving feedback from Vishnu has taught me how to look at a screenplay.”

• “The lab was a meticulously structured, thoroughly well thought-out exercise into mastering screenwriting skills. Vishnu’s coursework honed my own storytelling and pitching skills and aided in the cultivation of my own artistic goals as a storyteller.”